Zhou Guanyu Eyed for Alpine F1 Comeback: “It Makes Sense…”.

Talented Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu is expected to make a surprise return to the Alpine Formula 1 team in 2025, replacing Esteban Ocon. This news was reported by the French F1 correspondent Fred Ferret, who explained the change. It makes sense for many strategic and business reasons.

It was recently announced that Esteban Ocon will leave Alpine at the end of the 2024 season, making way for next season. Pierre Gasly is expected to remain with the team, but the identity of his future teammate is still unclear. Alpine’s in-house options include Jack Doohan, the reserve driver, and Mick Schumacher, who currently competes for the team in the World Endurance Championship (WEC). Outwardly, in addition to Zhu Guanyu, veteran Valtteri Bottas is mentioned as a candidate.

Zhou Guanyu is no stranger to Alpine, having been part of Renault’s young driver program before joining Sauber in early 2022. In 2021, Zhou had the opportunity to participate in free practice (FP1) with Alpine in Austria, further strengthening his relationship with the team.

An important factor that could influence Alpine’s decision is the close relationship between Renault and Geely, a major Chinese carmaker. Fred Ferrett notes that having a Chinese driver on the team, especially one of Zhu’s caliber, is beneficial for business relationships and market expansion. “They signed a contract a year ago. “It makes sense to have a Chinese driver with a Chinese manufacturer, even though it’s a French team,” Ferret explained.

On the F1 Nation podcast, show host Tom Clarkson emphasized that Zhu “ticks a lot of boxes”. Clarkson stressed the importance of showing a clear path from Alpine’s youth rider program to the top team, particularly following the controversy surrounding Oscar Piastre. “I think the team wants to keep Pierre,” Clarkson said. “Ju ticks a lot of boxes because he’s been part of Alpine’s young driver program and they want to make sure there’s a path to an F1 team, especially after what happened with Oscar Piastre.”

With all these factors in mind, Zhou Guanyu seems to be in the best position to replace Esteban Oco at Alpine. His experience, relationship with the team and the potential to strengthen the commercial relationship between Renault and Gely make him a strategic and promising choice for 2025.